Calibrachoa plant named ‘Duealkospi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Duealkospi’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright to outwardly spreading to trailing and decumbent plant habit; freely branching growth habit; early flowering habit; numerous large light pink-colored flowers with red purple-colored central rings and venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEALKOSPI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duealkospi’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform Calibrachoa plants with large attractive flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2009 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number A08-6898-001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number F-003-16, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since July, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duealkospi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duealkospi’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoa plant:

-   -   1. Compact, semi-upright to outwardly spreading to trailing and         decumbent plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3 Early flowering habit.     -   4. Numerous large light-colored flowers with red purple-colored         central rings and venation.     -   5. Good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in plant size as plants of the new Calibrachoa are more compact than plants of the female parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have hot pink-colored flowers.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have hot pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of Calibrachoa ‘MiniFamous Pink with Red Eye’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed primarily from plants of ‘MiniFamous Pink with Red Eye’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more compact than plants         of ‘MiniFamous Pink with Red Eye’.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had lighter green-colored         leaves than plants of ‘MiniFamous Pink with Red Eye’.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had slightly larger flowers         than plants of ‘MiniFamous Pink with Red Eye’.     -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘MiniFamous Pink with Red         Eye’ differed in flower color as plants of ‘MiniFamous Pink with         Red Eye’ had less intense pink-colored flowers.     -   5. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had slightly shorter peduncles         than plants of ‘MiniFamous Pink with Red Eye’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duealkospi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 10.5-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany under commercial Calibrachoa production practices. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Rooted young plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were 13 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Duealkospi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number A08-6898-001, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number F-003-16, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, semi-upright to outwardly             spreading to trailing and decumbent plant habit; freely             branching habit with about 10 to 15 lateral branches;             pinching enhances branching; vigorous growth habit; moderate             growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 11 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 22 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 16 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading to trailing             and decumbent.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 21.8 mm.         -   Width.—About 8.4 mm.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137C; venation, close to 144C. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation,             close to 144C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually             about 40 open flowers and flower buds per plant; flowers             face upright or outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about three             to four weeks after planting; plants flower continuously             from the spring until the autumn in Germany.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.9 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 2.8 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 9 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, base.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 2.1 cm.             Diameter: About 5 mm. Color: Close to 1C and 68C.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 1.3 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2 cm. Petal shape:             Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Mostly rounded. Petal margin:             Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 75C; towards the throat,             close to 59A; color becoming closer to 77D with development;             venation, close to 59A. Petal, when opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 75B; venation, close to 59A.             Throat: Close to 7A; venation, close to 59A. Tube: Close to             151C; venation, close to 59A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five sepals;             sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 1.2 cm. Sepal             width: About 2 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:             Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 137D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 45° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.             Filament length: About 7 mm. Filament color: Close to 145C.             Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther             color: Close to 7B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             Close to 13C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil             length: About 8 mm. Style length: About 6 mm. Style color:             Close to 144D. Stigma shape: Ellipsoidal. Stigma color:             Close to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 144D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Calibrachoa plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Duealkospi’ as illustrated and described. 